


Stay With Me

by SargentCorn



Series: Vandermatthews Tumblr Prompts [3]
Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 04:03:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21421876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SargentCorn/pseuds/SargentCorn
Summary: Hurt in a robbery, Hosea worries for Dutch's health.
Relationships: Hosea Matthews/Dutch van der Linde
Series: Vandermatthews Tumblr Prompts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1492031
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38





	Stay With Me

**Author's Note:**

> "So you got Hosea being hurt because of Dutch, hows about the inverse? Dutch gets badly injured on a job Hosea pushed him into. Bonus if Hosea catches something that puts him on bed rest, so he’s unable to be the caregiver this time." - Anon on tumblr.
> 
> Yes, I can do this, although I stretched that last part. Hope you still enjoy it though.
> 
> Hit me up on Tumblr @sargentcorn to request vandermatthews prompts.

There were easily over ten thousand words in the English language and none felt as if they could describe how Hosea _felt_. Leg bound in wrapping to keep bandages applied to the bullet wound from bleeding, the co-founder of the gang stared blankly at the canvas tent above him, the events from the robbery replaying in his mind. How everything seemed to be going well until the law managed to pounce them on their way back to camp. And how a lawman got a lucky shot into Dutch’s lower torso, and another a lucky shot in his leg.

They had managed to escape with everyone, and mostly minor scrapes and cuts save for the two injuries Dutch and Hosea had. And when they had managed to get back to camp without the law following them, Hosea had been separated from Dutch. Something he had complained loudly about, but Abigail and Tilly had hushed him by reminding him they needed space to examine Dutch.

Swallowing, he tried to not worry about the state Dutch was in, but he did. He had pushed Dutch into this job, and now Dutch had been shot in the left side of his stomach. And it was Hosea’s fault, or it felt like it was. Logically, he knew that even if he hadn’t pushed Dutch into the job, and Dutch did the job anyway and still had gotten hurt, it wouldn’t have been his fault. There was always a chance someone got hurt or killed during a job. That’s how it went.

But Hosea had pushed Dutch into it, and now the man he loved with all his heart was unconscious, bloody, and hurt. The blame could be laid at Hosea’s feet if nobody did. And Susan, Arthur, John, Abigail, and Tilly, bless them, tried to reassure him that it wasn’t his fault. How could they know the law would be able to get the jump on them? But it did little to lessen the worry gnawing at his heart and mind. He hadn’t been able to get into Dutch’s tent with his leg being the way it was. Couldn’t take care of him the way he wanted. Or sit by his side throughout the night making sure he was still breathing.

Sitting up, he ran his hands down his face feeling a thousand years older than he was. His heart longed to see Dutch, and see he was breathing and what state he was in. Everyone had assured him Dutch would live but they said nothing more, and that ramped up the worry in his chest. Even though the expressions everyone held told him it was going to be okay, it didn’t feel okay because he couldn’t see Dutch. Couldn’t feel nor hear his pulse showing him his lover was still alive and kicking.

Dropping his hands from his face, Hosea listened for the usual noise level around camp but found crickets answering him. Everyone was quiet and worried while the two leaders of the gang healed. And he wasn’t sure if that pleased or worried him. He needed to know, and the plan forming in his mind would certainly get him yelled at by Susan, but he didn’t care. He needed to see Dutch, feel his pulse, and hear his soft breathing.  
Slipping from the cot, and careful to not land on his bad leg, Hosea crawled on his hands and knees to the flaps of his tent. And with a peek outside to see no one watching his tent, Hosea slowly crawled to Dutch’s tent knowing if someone found him he’d be getting a lecture from Susan before sending him back to his cot.

When he managed to get to Dutch’s tent without anyone hearing him somehow, he slipped through the flaps to see Dutch lying on his cot, chest slowly rising and falling. Relief entered him, and he drank it like it was ambrosia as he reached his lover. But that relief didn’t last seeing how pale his sun, lover, big cat was, and it was Hosea’s fault for pushing him into this job.

Fingers trembling as he reached forward, Hosea nearly wept feeling Dutch’s pulse beating strongly under his fingertips. Alive and hurt, but alive and that’s all Hosea wanted to see. Or so he thought when he noticed he crawling into the cot to lay against Dutch’s side. Dutch’s mouth twitched when he settled. “You should be in another tent,” Dutch said softly, weakly, as he turned his head to stare at his lover, his moon, his sweet fox.

“Couldn’t,” Hosea murmured back pressing a kiss to Dutch’s forehead. “Needed to see you, dear. I’m sorry.” A finger pressed against his lips.

“Don’t apologize, sweet fox. We didn’t know the law would get the jump on us. Never happened that way before, so don’t apologize to me. You know things like this can happen on a job; it doesn’t matter if you push for it or not.” Letting out an exhale, Hosea pressed another kiss to Dutch’s finger.

“I know, big cat, and yet…” He trailed off unable to complete what he wanted to say. His face held everything he couldn’t say. Dutch’s smile was weak, but he pulled Hosea close tucking Hosea’s face into his neck.

“Sh, my moon. Let’s not speak about this right now.” Dutch’s hand roams his back lovingly. “I’d rather spend some time with you before Susan finds us and kicks you out for leaving your tent.” Laughing softly, Hosea nuzzled his nose against Dutch’s neck. “But I think if we ask nicely enough, she might move your cot in here since I’m doing better.”

“That’s if she doesn’t drag me out of here by ear for not staying in my cot.” His words sent the pair into a giggling fit. Wrapping his arms around Dutch’s torso, and careful to not accidentally bump against Dutch’s injury, Hosea let out a content sigh now that he was next to his lover. There’s a press of lips to the top of his head, and a soft squeeze of Dutch’s arms around him before both men succumb to sleep to be found in the morning by Tilly who giggles at the sight.


End file.
